Folding chair



(No Model.)

J. P. A. SPAET, W. F. BERRY & J. T. SNODDY.

FOLDING CHAIR.

No. 383,255. Patented May 22, 1888.

arnnr Danica.

JOSEPH F. A. SPAET, WILLIAM F. BERRY, AND JAMES T. SNODDY, OF

MOUNT PLEASANT, IOYVA.

FOLDING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,255, dated May 22,1888.

Application filed NoYcmLerIlO, 1887. Serial No. 256,509. (No mortal.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OSEPH F. A. SPAET, WILLIAM F. BERRY, and JAMES T.Snoopy, of Mount Pleasant, in the county of Henry and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs; andwe do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appcrtains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in folding chairs, the objectbeing to produce a device of this character that will be of simpledurable construction and that may be quickly changed from a foldedcondition to an open adjustment of its legs and back, and be securelylocked when so adjusted, thus affording a substantial and verycomfortable seat which resembles an ordinary chair in appear ance.

With these objects in view our invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, that will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe chairinopened and locked adjustment of its legs and back to fit it for use as asubstantial seat. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the bottom of thechair with its legs and back folded for transportation. Fig. 3 is anedge view of the side of the chair as it appears when the legs and backare in folded position. Fig. 4 shows one of the sectional lockin gstretcher-bars detached from the chairlegs, with the two parts lockedtogether, the lantern-lock being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 5represents one of the locking stretcherbars, with two parts separated toshow form of construction of the locking ends.

A represents the seat of the chair. This may be made entirely of woodcut of a size to afford aseat of suitable dimensions. We prefer to makethe seat with a frame or border of wood that has its front and rearedges parallel and the side edges pitched inwardly toward each otherfrom the front edge of the seat to the rear edges of same, so as torender the seat narrower at the rear edge, where the back is attached.

The seatframe may be covered with leather or fibrous material, such asoil-cloth or carpet. This method of producing a seat renders it lighter,as well as more comfortable for use.

The back B of the chair may be made of various forms to suit the tasteof the designer. Ve show a simple, strong, and neat style, whichconsists of two side posts, a, that are connected at the top and bottomends by crossstretchers I), which enter sock-etholes made in the posts(6 to receive their dowel ends.

The top of the back-frame maybe made somewhat wider than thelowerportion to correspond to the form of the seat when folded on it,and to afford folding movement the back posts, a, are hinged to the topsurface of the seatin a manner to allow the back B to lie closely uponthe seat-frame A, as shown in Fig. 3. In order to support the back whenin an upright position and relieve the hinges from an improper strain ontheirjoints, the folding braces G are provided. The braces O are made ofstrips of metal and have joints 0 formed near their center, each braceconsisting of two pieces, preferably of equal lengths. These piecesarejoined so as to lap their ends, and are pivoted together in a mannerto allow a folding action to each brace. \Vhen the back is raised off ofthe seat, the braces unfold and are fully extended, as shown in Fig. 1,when the back is adjusted for use, and it will be seen in this figurethat the braces O are pivoted to the chair seat and back to extenddiagonally between these parts, and thus be in position to affordsupport to the back when the chair is occupied.

The legs D D of the chair are each hinged at their respective corners onthe lower side of the chair seat A, and these hinge'connections are somade as to permit the legs to be folded and lie closely in contact withthe lower side of the chairseat, as shown in Fig. 3, and from the factthat the rear edge of the chairseat A is of less width than its frontedge the rear legs, D, will lie inside of the front pair of legs, D,when all are folded. The rear pair of legs is connected by a cross braceor stretcher, e, which may be of ordinary form and be inserted insocketholes in the legs in the ordinary manner.

The front stretcher, d, which serves to connect the two front legs, D,is preferably made of metal. It is bent to produce offsetsfin its body,which project it away from the legs in front of the same, and alsoafford ears 9 at each end of the stretcher, whereby it may be secured tothe front face of each front leg, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thestretcher (Z is bent as shown, to allow it to clear the rear legs whenthe chair is folded, as shown in Fig. 3, and thus allow the front legsto fold closely upon the seat. of the chair are adapted to be securelybraced apart when the chair is to be put into service by the lockingstretcher-bars F F. These bars are each made of two pieces, which are ofsuch relative length as to permit the formation of their lockingjointsnear the center of length between the front and rear legs. The portion hof the bar F, which is pivoted to the outer face of one of the rearlegs, D, is cut to form a lip, 2', which latter is bent to overhang theouter face of the bar it, and near to this lip a lantcrirlock notch, It,is cut through the body of the bar.

Upon the front portion, h, of the bar F, which is intended to lock withthe rear piece, 71, a stud, m, is secured to project from the innor faceof the free end of this bar, the other end being pivoted to the innersurface of the front leg, I), the stud 111 being adapted to lock withthe notch k, and when introduced the two portions h h, which togetherform the stretcherbar F, are made to line on their top and bottom edges,which will cause the lip 7; to hook over the top edge ofthe frontportion, h, and thus secure the stretcherbar F in locked adjustment tokeep the front and rearlegs of the chair to which it is pivoted in anupright position.

The locking strt t her bar 1 which is pivoted upon the other legs of thechair, is constructed in a manner similar to the bar F, with exceptionthat the lantern-lock slot is formed in the front 11200, n, and thelocking-stud o is fastened on the inner end of the rear piece, a, so asto lock in an opposite direction from the lOt'k made on thestretcher-bar F.

In adjusting the chair for use the legs are first given a nearly uprightposition, they being so hinged as to allow them to project slightlybeyond the front and rear edges of the seat to afford a more securebase. The locking-bars FF are now connected and forced downwardly,sotheir lantern-locks are secured by engagement of the lips 1', and asthelength ot' the bars F F is so proportioned to the spread of the frontand rear pairs oflegs as to firmly brace them apart a substantial seatis afforded. The back is now elevated and the chair is ready for use asa seat. A reversal of the operation will leave the chair folded forpacking in small space, as shown in Fig. 3.

The folding chair described maybe used for The front and rear pairs oflegs all these purposes the folding chair is well adapted, as it may bequickly adjusted for use, and, when opened and. locked, affords a verycomfortable chair. After temporary use the chairs may be folded tooccupy but a small space and be compactly packed away until againneeded.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a folding chair, a locking stretcherbar constructed of two piecespivoted at its opposite ends to the front and rear legs of the chair,and provided with a lantern-lock and guard-lip at their meeting ends tolock the two portions of the stretcher-bar together, substantially asset forth.

2. In a folding chair, the con1bination,with a seat and front and rearlegs hinged to the lower side of the seat at its corners, of twostretcher-bars, each formed of two pieces pivoted to the front and rearlegs, and provided at their adjacent ends with lantern-locks andoverhanging lips or flanges to lock the front and rear legs apart,substantially as set forth. 3. In a folding chair, the combination, witha seat, front and rear legs hinged to fold upon this seat, and anoffsetmetal brace or stretcher secured to the outer face of the frontlegs, of two stretcher-bars, each formed of two pieces which are pivotedat their ends to the front and rear legs, and provided withlantern-locks and overhanging lip-flanges to lock the pieces togetherand brace the front and rear legs apart, substantially as set forth.

4. In a folding chair, the combination, with a seat, a back hinged tothetop surface thereof, and diagonal jointed braces for supporting theback in an upright position, of hinged legs, a brace attached to theouter face of the front legs,and two pivoted stretchers, each composedof two sections pivoted together, and provided with a lantern-lock andguard lip at their meeting ends to lock the two portions of thestretehers together, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof wehave signed this specification in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

JOSEPH F. A. SPAET. VILLIAM F. BERRY. JAMES T. SNODDY. Witnesses:

O. F. Prrci-inn, ED BIADDING.

IIC

